Soci 102
Intro to Research Methods
Participant Observation Paper
Due: Nov 29, 2012
Extra Credit
The social world around you provides a fantastic laboratory for your naturalist observations. For
this assignment you are to go ride a bus, or train or even the subway. You are to ride it for at least
an hour and document what you see.
The goal of this exercise is for you to be an observer. You will keep any participation with other
travelers at minimal levels and only if absolutely necessary (i.e. if someone asks you for the time or
directions).
You will need to take field notes during this observation. Your field notes should have 2 columns:
Know & Think
Example 1:
Walk the length of the train or bus and observe the passengers, the driver (or conductor) and the
positions they occupy. Is there a gendered division of seating, activity?
Example 2:
How do people demarcate their personal space? What actions, looks, gestures, movements, etc.
do people do ward off others?
Example 3:
Sit near various people on your journey and overhear what is being said, by whom and why.
Observe. Pay particular attention to gender, age, race/ethnicity.
Things to Include:
1. Location & Time
a. Which bus, train etc. you rode
b. What part of the conveyance did you observe
c. What time of day did your observation take place
d. How much time did you spend observing
2. Observation
a. What did you observe
i. Be very detailed here
b. What patterns, if any, emerged
3. Hypothesis
a. Based on your observations, develop a hypothesis
4. Theory Development
a. Explain your hypothesis by developing a theory supported through the observations.